SAGA unveiled

Transcriptional regulation in eukaryotes is intimately coupled to chromatin dynamics. The SAGA (Spt-Ada-Gcn5) histone acetyltransferase (HAT) complex of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a multi-subunit co-factor for RNA polymerase II transcription. However, not all gene activation events require its intrinsic HAT activity. In addition, SAGA subunits can also restrict gene transcription. The recently published structural model from the laboratories of Fred Winston and Patrick Schultz of the SAGA complex provides a framework to rationalize these findings and to direct further investigation of this crucial transcriptional co-factor.